Saturday, 4 July 2009

I atarted with the small blue forget me nots, as I wanted to get into my stride in a simple part of the design. Initially I did the first little leaf in silk shading, but on that tiny a space I thought it looked wrong, with the medium mulberry silk, which is quite thick compared to the 60/2 silk I usually use, so I redid them in Satin stitch. I think the purity of the satin stitch looks nicer, and makes more of the sheen of the silk so I unpicked the first leaf, and re did it in satin stitch.

This is what I had completed by the end of the day. The thicker silk works up much faster! It takes a bit of getting used to, but I like the effect, it's more like a genuine piece, if you look at 18th century embroideries, or pictures of work by May Morris, it is done in very similar looking silk.

And this is what I have completed since. The silk shading looks nicer on the larger leaves, but I still like the contrast of the satin stitch next to it on the small ones. And I love the colours!

Heres one final gratuitous close up of the bottom leaves.

Next time, I might try photographing this outside, as it is really hard to get a good close up without the camera casting a shadow, or the flash only illuminating part of the design.

Anyway, I'm rather pleased with my mulberry silks, though less pleased with my stem stitch!